High-powered vehicle drive train

Abstract

A high power-to-weight ratio vehicle whose drive train includes an engine with an infinitely variable transmission coupled thereto and the transmission output shaft connected to the vehicle drive wheels has a transmission with a planetary gear structure whose ring gear is mounted for rotation with the transmission input shaft, whose planetary gears are mounted on a carrier associated with the transmission output shaft and whose sun gear is mounted on a hollow shaft which has one toroidal disc of a toric traction roller transmission mounted thereon while the other toroidal disc of the toric traction roller transmission which is disposed adjacent the one disc and in engagement therewith through pivotally supported traction rollers is mounted on the transmission input shaft such that the traction roller transmission is at the highest speed-up ratio for lowest vehicle speed.

I claim: 
     
       1. A vehicle comprising: an engine having an infinitely variable transmission operatively coupled thereto for transmitting engine power to the transmission's input shaft, with the transmission output shaft being operatively connected to the vehicle's drive wheels, said transmission comprising a planetary drive structure including a drive ring gear carrying a first gear in engagement with a drive gear on said input shaft for rotation of said drive ring gear with said input shaft, a central sun gear and planetary gear members disposed in the annular space between, and in engagement with, said drive ring gear and said sun gear and rotatably supported on a planetary carrier which is supported for rotation with the transmission output shaft and an infinitely variable toroidal traction roller transmission structure including two parallel toroidal transmissions having a central input toric disc structure common to both toroidal transmissions and operatively connected to said input shaft, the output toric discs being mounted on a shaft associated with the sun gear of said planetary drive, each of said two parallel toroidal transmissions having oppositely disposed toroidal traction discs with traction rollers pivotally supported therebetween and in engagement therewith for the transmission of motion in opposite directions of rotation and at a transmission ratio which depends on the pivot position of said traction rollers, said input shaft being supported parallel to and spaced from the output shaft and said input toric disc structure being provided with a second gear in engagement with a third gear on said input shaft for rotation therewith and the output toric discs being operatively connected to said sun gear for driving said sun gear in a direction opposite to that of said ring gear and at a speed which depends on the pivot position of said traction rollers for controlling the orbit speed of said planetary gears and, together therewith, of said output shaft, said drive gear being rotatably mounted on said input shaft and provided with a clutch allowing selective engagement of said drive gear with said input shaft for rotation therewith, said drive gear also having braking means for locking said drive gear. 
     
     
       2. A vehicle comprising: an engine having an infinitely variable transmission operatively coupled thereto for transmitting engine power to the transmission's input shaft, with the transmission output shaft being operatively connected to the vehicle's drive wheels, said transmission comprising a planetary gear structure including a ring gear mounted for rotation with said input shaft, a central sun gear and planetary gears disposed in the annular space between, and in engagement with, said ring gear and said sun gear and rotatably supported on a planetary gear carrier which is supported for rotation with the transmission output shaft and an infinitely variable toroidal traction roller transmission having oppositely disposed toroidal traction discs with traction rollers pivotally supported therebetween and in engagement therewith for the transmission of motion in opposite directions of rotation and at a transmission ratio which depends on the pivot position of said traction rollers, a parallel shaft being supported parallel to and spaced from said output shaft and carrying a first gear in engagement with a gear on one of said toroidal traction discs and a second gear disposed in engagement with a gear associated with said ring gear, the other toroidal disc being operatively connected to said sun gear for driving said sun gear in a direction opposite to that of said ring gear and at a speed which depends on the pivot position of said traction rollers for controlling the orbit speed of said planetary gears and, together therewith, of said output shaft, said second gear being rotatably mounted on said parallel shaft and being provided with a clutch allowing selective engagement of said second gear with said parallel shaft for rotation therewith, said second gear also having braking means for locking said second gear. 
     
     
       3. A vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said parallel shaft is a power input shaft operatively coupled to the vehicle's engine.